Barack Obama: Chris Long donating his salary is an example of ‘what's best about America’

Chris Long gained a number of supporters when he announced he would be donating his season's salary to charity, now he can count former President Barack Obama among them.

Obama praised the Eagles defensvie lineman while honoring some of the most positive stories of 2017 in a string of tweets Friday.

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"As we count down to the new year, we get to reflect and prepare for what's ahead," Obama wrote. "For all the bad news that seemed to dominate our collective consciousness, there are countless stories from this year that remind us what's best about America.

"Chris Long gave his paychecks from the first six games of the NFL season to fund scholarships in Charlottesville, VA. He wanted to do more, so he decided to give away an entire season's salary. That's a story from 2017."

Chris Long places his hand on Malcolm Jenkins’ shoulder as a show of support. (Matt Rourke/AP)

Long initially donated his first six game checks to fund two scholarships for students in Charlottesville, Virginia shortly after the white supremacists attack. Long, who grew up in Charlottesville, later announced he would donate his following 10 game checks to launch the Pledge 10 for Tomorrow campaign to improve equal education opportunities.

"I always thought maybe it would be cool to play for free," Long told the Philadelphia Inquirer in October. "I did. I thought it would be a personal test to see if I'm really the guy I'd like to be."

Long, who is slated to earn a base salary of $1 million this season, will distribute the funds to educational advocacy groups in the locations of the three NFL teams he's played in: St. Louis, New England and Philadelphia.

Former President Barack Obama praised Chris Long Friday. (KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS)

Long has been at the center of social activism in the NFL. The 32-year-old defensive end was the first white player to protest during the national anthem when he placed a hand on teammate Malcolm Jenkins' shoulder while Jenkins raised a fist for racial inequality.

Long has also been critical of Donald Trump, refusing to visit the White House while a member of the Super Bowl-winning Patriots and later bashing the president for his "violence on many sides" comment regarding the Charlottesville attack.

He previously addressed his decision to skip the Patriots' White House visit in a video by Green Stripe News.

"(When) my son grows up -- and I believe the legacy of our president is going to be what it is -- I don't want him to say, 'Hey Dad, why'd you go when you knew the right thing was to not go?'" Long said.